6 killed, 100 trapped as 8 bogies of Doon Express derail

Mangalore Today / ITV

Jaunpur, UP, May 31: Six passengers were killed and nearly 100 others were trapped as eight  bogies of Howrah-Dehradun Doon Express derailed this morning  near Jaunpur. Nearly 50 passengers suffered injuries, of whom seven are reported critical and have been sent to Jaunpur district hospital.
A local reporter said on phone from the spot that nearly one hundred passengers were still trapped inside the derailed bogies several hours after the derailment.

 

 

Doctors and rescue teams have reached the spot from Lucknow and Varanasi.

The train no 13009 Doon Express was being driven at an unusually fast speed when it was derailed at a place between Khetrisarai and Mehrawan, passengers said.

Neeraj Sharma, CPRO, Northern Railway said coaches 10th to 17th from the engine were derailed in the mishap. Sharma said, so far the death of one passenger has been confirmed.

DM and SSP Jaunpur have reached the spot alongwith railway officials and doctors. Chairman, Railway Board, Member(Engineering) Railway Board and the general manager of Northern Railway have left for the mishap site.

A special train is being sent to bring the passengers. Buses have been sent to the accident site, the CPRO said.

Devendra Yadav, a local reporter from the spot, told India TV that several passengers are feared dead after being trapped beneath the capsized coaches. Some of them have been squashed between two coaches. Cranes are being used to rescue the trapped passengers, he said.

The reporter said, parts of human bodies were found  scattered on the spot. Several passengers were seen wailing and screaming on the spot, with several others in search of their near and dear ones, he added.

Mamata Kushwaha, a passenger who was slightly injured in the mishap, told India TV over phone that  the wheels of the coaches came off after the derailment, and nearly 100 metres of track broke because of the derailment.

Shivnandan Agrawal, another passenger told India TV over phone that at least ten passengers were in a critical condition.

"I was lying on the upper berth when there was a loud sound at 1:14 pm. The coach shuddered, and the train came to an abrupt halt. As passengers began to jump out fearing a fire, others persuaded the rest not to fear. We came out, and with help from local villagers we began rescuing passengers trapped inside the bogies. The police came nearly half an hour later".

Helpline nos: Kolkata: 033- 26413660, 26402241, 26402242; Uttar Pradesh: 0522-2234533; Bandel: 033-26316377; Burdwan: 0342-2561601